Blower for a dehumidifier

ABSTRACT

A blower for a dehumidifier has a casing, a cover, a small low-voltage motor and a fan. The fan is mounted between the casing and the small low-voltage motor. The cover is mounted on the small low-voltage motor and the fan. The fan draws air in axially from the casing and exhausts air out radially from the cover. Since the small low-voltage motor is directly attached to the cover, the blower has simplified structure. Furthermore, because the fan is mounted between the small low-voltage motor and the casing, the airflow does not pass through the small low-voltage motor. Therefore, dust does not collect on the small low-voltage motor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a blower, especially to a blower for adehumidifier.

2. Description of the Prior Arts

A dehumidifier draws moist air to pass through a heat exchanger by ablower. The heat exchanger condenses moisture from the moist air so thatthe moist air is transformed into dry air. Then the dry air is exhaustedout by the blower to reduce humidity of surrounding air.

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, a conventional blower 90 fordehumidifier comprises a casing 91, a cover 92, a fan 93 and analternating current (AC) motor 94. A heat exchanger 80 and the cover 92are mounted respectively on two sides of the casing 91. The casing 91has multiple ribs 911 for securing the AC motor 94. The fan 93 is acentrifugal fan, is connected electrically to the AC motor 94 and ismounted in the cover 92. When the dehumidifier is operated, the fan 93axially draws moist air through the heat exchanger 80. Then the dry airis exhausted radially by the fan 93.

Since the AC motor 94 is heavier and larger, the ribs 911 of the casing91 are necessary for stably securing the AC motor 94. Thus, thestructure of the casing 91 is complicated. Furthermore, the AC motor 94is located at the air inlet side of the fan 93 so that the AC motor 94blocks the airflow and easily collects dust.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a blowerfor a dehumidifier to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a blower for adehumidifier with simplified structure and small volume. The blower hasa casing, a cover, a small low-voltage motor and a fan. The fan ismounted between the casing and the small low-voltage motor. The cover ismounted on the small low-voltage motor and the fan. The fan draws air inaxially from the casing and exhausts air out radially from the cover.Since the small low-voltage motor is directly attached to the cover, theblower has simplified structure. Furthermore, because the fan is mountedbetween the small low-voltage motor and the casing, the airflow does notpass through the small low-voltage motor. Therefore, dust does notcollect on the small low-voltage motor.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a blower in accordance with the presentinvention, shown connecting with a heat exchanger.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the blower in FIG. 1 with theheat exchanger;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the blower;

FIG. 4 is a side view in partial section of the blower in FIG. 1 withthe heat exchanger;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional blower inaccordance with the prior art with a heat exchanger; and

FIG. 6 is a side view in partial section of the conventional blower inFIG. 5 with the heat exchanger.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a blower for a dehumidifier inaccordance with the present invention comprises a casing 10, a cover 20,a small low-voltage direct current (DC) motor 30 and a fan 40.

With further reference to FIG. 3, the casing 10 has an air inlet 11formed axially therethrough.

The cover 20 is attached securely to an outer side of the casing 10 andis covered by the air inlet 11 of the casing 10. A heat exchanger 50 ofthe dehumidifier is attached to an inner side of the casing 10. Thecover 20 has a main wall 21 and a sidewall 22. The main wall 21 has athrough hole 211 formed axially therethrough. The sidewall 22 is formedaround an annular edge of the main wall 21, is attached securely to thecasing 10 and has an air outlet 221 formed transversely therethrough.

The small low-voltage DC motor 30 is attached securely to the main wall21 of the cover 20 and has a motor body 31 and a rotating shaft 32. Themotor body 31 is attached securely to the main wall 21 of the cover 20.The rotating shaft 32 extends rotatably out from the motor body 31, ismounted in the cover 20 and protrudes toward the air inlet 11 of thecasing 10. In a preferred embodiment, the motor body 31 is mountedthrough the through hole 211 of the main wall 21 of the cover 20 and hasmultiple tabs 311. The tabs 311 are formed separately on and protrudetransversely out from an annular edge of the motor body 31. Multiplescrews 34 are mounted respectively through the tabs 311 and are mountedsecurely into the main wall 21 of the cover 20.

Because the small low-voltage DC motor 30 is light and small, the smalllow-voltage DC motor 30 is directly attached to the main wall 21 of thecover 20 without additional reinforced structure. Therefore, the volumeof the casing 10 is decreased. Furthermore, the small low-voltage DCmotor 30 has advantages including high efficiency, energy saving andsafety. Moreover, the driving voltage of the small low-voltage DC motor30 is lower than 24 volts.

With further reference to FIG. 4, the fan 40 is mounted securely aroundthe rotating shaft 32, is mounted in the cover 20 and is mounted betweenthe casing 10 and the small low-voltage DC motor 30. The fan 40 draws inair axially from the air inlet 11 of the casing 10 and exhausts airradially out toward the air outlet 221 of the cover 20. In a preferredembodiment, the fan 40 is a centrifugal fan. Since the fan 40 is mountedbetween the casing 10 and the small low-voltage DC motor 30, the smalllow-voltage DC motor 30 does not block the airflow so that dust does notcollect on the small low-voltage DC motor 30.

In a preferred embodiment, the rotating shaft 32 has a main part 321, anextending part 322 and a shoulder 324. The extending part 322 is thinnerthan the main part 321 and has outer threaded wall. The shoulder 324 isformed between the main part 321 and the extending part 322. At leastone protrusion 323 protrudes transversely out from the extending part322 near the shoulder 324. The fan 40 has a connecting wall 41 mountedaround the rotating shaft 32 of the small low-voltage DC motor 30. Theconnecting wall 41 has a step 413 and a connecting hole 411. The step413 is formed in an outside surface of the connecting wall 41 and ismounted around the main part 321 of the rotating shaft 32. Theconnecting hole 411 is formed through the step 413 and is mounted aroundthe extending part 322 of the rotating shaft 32. At least one notch 412is formed through the step 413, is formed around and communicates withthe connecting hole 411 and respectively engages the at least oneprotrusion 323 of the rotating shaft 32. A fastener 33 is mounted aroundthe extending part 322 of the rotating shaft 32 and is attached to thestep 413 and has a threaded hole 331 screwed onto the outer threadedwall of the extending part 322 of the rotating shaft 32.

The blower as described has following advantages. Because the smalllow-voltage motor 30 is directly connected to the cover 20 withoutadding reinforced structures, the structure of the blower is simplifiedand the volume of the blower is reduced. Furthermore, since the fan 40is mounted between the air inlet 11 and the small low-voltage motor 30,the airflow does not pass through the small low-voltage motor 30.Therefore, the small low-voltage motor 30 does not collect dust and doesnot influence the airflow.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the presentinvention have been set forth in the foregoing description, togetherwith details of the structure and features of the invention, thedisclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details,especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts withinthe principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by thebroad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims areexpressed.

1. A blower for a dehumidifier comprising: a casing having an air inlet;a cover attached securely to an outer side of the casing, covering bythe air inlet of the casing and having a main wall; and a sidewallformed around an annular edge of the main wall, attached securely to thecasing and having an air outlet formed transversely therethrough; asmall low-voltage motor attached securely to the main wall of the cover;and a fan connected to the small low-voltage motor, mounted in thecover, mounted between the casing and the small low-voltage motor,drawing in air axially from the air inlet of the casing and exhaustingair radially out toward the air outlet of the cover.
 2. The blower asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the small low-voltage motor comprises amotor body attached securely to the main wall of the cover; and arotating shaft extending rotatably out from the motor body, mounted inthe cover and is mounted securely through the fan.
 3. The blower asclaimed in claim 2 further comprising multiple screws, wherein the mainwall of the cover has a through hole formed axially therethrough; themotor body of the small low-voltage motor is mounted through the throughhole of the main wall of the cover and has multiple tabs formedseparately on and protruding transversely out from an annular edge ofthe motor body; and the screws are mounted through the tabs of the motorbody and are mounted securely into the main wall of the cover.
 4. Theblower as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a fastener, wherein therotating shaft has a main part; an extending part thinner than the mainpart; and a shoulder formed between the main part and the extendingpart; the fan has a connecting wall mounted around the rotating shaftand having a connecting hole mounted around the extending part of therotating shaft; and the fastener mounted around the extending part ofthe rotating shaft.
 5. The blower as claimed in claim 3 furthercomprising a fastener, wherein the rotating shaft has a main part; anextending part thinner than the main part; and a shoulder formed betweenthe main part and the extending part; the fan has a connecting wallmounted around the rotating shaft and having a connecting hole mountedaround the extending part of the rotating shaft; and the fastenermounted securely around the extending part of the rotating shaft.
 6. Theblower as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rotating shaft has at leastone protrusion protruding transversely out from the extending part nearthe shoulder; and the connecting wall has at least one notch formedaround the communicating with the connecting hole and respectivelyengaging the at least one protrusion of the rotating shaft.
 7. Theblower as claimed in claim 5, wherein the rotating shaft has at leastone protrusion protruding transversely out from the extending part nearthe shoulder; and the connecting wall has at least one notch formedaround the communicating with the connecting hole and respectivelyengaging the at least one protrusion of the rotating shaft.
 8. Theblower as claimed in claim 4, wherein the extending part of the rotatingshaft has an outer threaded wall; and the fastener has a threaded holescrewed onto the outer threaded wall of the extending part.
 9. Theblower as claimed in claim 7, wherein the extending part of the rotatingshaft has an outer threaded wall; and the fastener has a threaded holescrewed onto the outer threaded wall of the extending part.
 10. Theblower as claimed in claim 4, wherein the connecting wall of the fan hasa step formed in an outside surface of the connecting wall and mountedaround the main part of the rotating shaft.
 11. The blower as claimed inclaim 9, wherein the connecting wall of the fan has a step formed in anoutside surface of the connecting wall and mounted around the main partof the rotating shaft.